Acetylene-gas-generatin g appabatits



Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED AUGJI, I9I8.

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P'. B.`sULL|vAN. A'CETYLENE GAS GENERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG-14,1918.

Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

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BERCY B. SULLIVAN', OF DECAIUR, ILLINOIS.

ACETYLENE-GSsGENERATIN APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

Appiication fue-fi August 14, isis. sei-iai no. efiasie.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY B. SULLIVAN, a citizen of thel United States, residing at Decatur, in the countyof Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas-Generating Apparatus; and I herebydeclare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel apparatus for producing acetylene gas, for use in dwelling houses and the like.

The objects of the invention are to provide novel means for automatically feeding the caibide from the hopper when the amount of gas in the bell or holder drops to a predetermined minimum point; also to provide novel means for protecting the carbide feed valve from water of condensation, so that the valve will not become clogged by wet carbide powder; which would interfere with the desired freedom of movement of the feed valve; also to provide a supplemental carbide sup ply -and control valve therefor whereby when the main supply is exhausted the generator may be enabled to operate for a further period of time before recharging.

In the appended claim the novel features of construction'and combination of parts for which protection is desired are summarized, and I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one practical formof apparatus embodyin the invention, and an 'under1 standing t ereof will enable others to adapt and use the same.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of a carbide gas generating apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an .enlarged vertical sectional view of the main carbide hopper and feed valve.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse Wsectional' view of the main and auxiliary'feedv may if desired be surrounded and ieenfoi'ced by concrete.

O Hthin thiscasing a removable cylinder j, which is `open at its upper end, and its lower end is preferably enlarged or bell shaped and rests upon the bottom of the easino i.

Preferably removably mounted above and upon the upper end of the cylinder 2 is a main feed hopper 4, adapted to contain carbide, and preferably having an inverted conical bottom 4S provided with a small opening at itsapex for the escape of carbide. This opening is normally closed by a conical self-adjusting valve 5 winch is loosely suspended from the lower end of a rod 5b '(preferably by means of a link 5a loosely connected to the apex or top of the valve and loosely connected to the lower end of the rod 5b) in such manner that said valve is capable of such universal movement relative to the rod and to its seat that it can readily automati# cally .adjust itself to the seat, as'hereinafter explained. v

.The rod 5b is preferably suspended from and pivotally connected to one end of a lever 5C, pivoted at 5i on a bar 5d that is suitably secured within and preferably extends across the hopper, and lever 5c is provided with a weight 5e on its free end to cause the lever to hold valve normally yieldingly closed. The rod, lever, andweight may be protected from the carbide in the hopper by a suitable radially disposed housing 5 therein, to pre vent the carbide interfering with the free action of the movable parts. Said housing may be connected at top to the bar 5d, and at its outer end to the wall of the hopper, and at bottom to a bridge piece as 5j secured to the bottom and within the hopper. The valve rod 5' projects above the lever 5c and through an opening 51 in the top of the housing 5h.

lVithin the tank 1 is a movable gas bell 6 which is open at its lower end and encloses the hopper 4L and the upper part of the diaphragm 2. The space within the lower part of the cylinder 2 and the casing l is partly filled with water W, and the lower open end of the bell is submerged in such water, and sealed thereby. The upper end of the bell is gas-tightly closed by head 6, and the interior of the bell forms a gas retaining chamber in the usual manner.

A supply of carbide is placed in the hopper 4, and then `when the bell is lowered its top 6a depresses valve rod 5b and unseats valve 5 which permits sullicient carbide to drop into the Water in the diaphragm to produce gas which rises above the Water and es-V capes from the `diaphragm into the bell through apertures 2C in the upper part or' the cylinder adjacent the conical lower part of hopper 4.

Normally the gas will lift the bell suiiiciently to l'eep its head o out olf contact with the upper end of the valve rod 5b, and the valve will then be held closed by Weighted lever 5; but as the gas is Withdrawn the bell gradually descends, and when the gas becomes nearly exhausted the top of the bell engages and depresses the valve rod 5l thus opening the valve 5 and admitting` more carbide into the cylinder.

its the valve 5 is loosely suspended 'from the rod 5b, so as to be universalljf movable, as stated, a very slight movement of the rod 5b will cause said valve to shift sulieiently to permit enough carbide to escape from the hopper into the cylinder Vto generate the requisite amount of gas to raise the bell and permit the valve to close. This valve 5 will automatically adjust itself in closing the openingin the hopper, and ii' a piece of carbide Should catch on one side of the valve the valve would tilt so that the side of the valve farthest from such piece of carbide would close against the seat and prevent over-feeding of carbide. if the vvalve rod is jarred or depressed only very slightly by the bell top the valve Will open sul'liciently to admit a small quantity of carbide into the container. Thus this automatic self adjustingTV valve is very sensitive, and practically Will admit only such an amount of carbide as is required to maintain the desired supply orP gas in the bell; and according to the number of burners which may be in operation at any given time.

Attached to the bottom ot' the hopper adjacent and surrounding the feed valve 5 is an annular outwardly flaring shirt or flange 411 which depends slightly below the valve 5 and protects it `from the Water or' condensa tion that usually forms on the sloping exte-.

rior bottom Wall of the hopper and trickles down toward the valved opening in the hopper; and but for this protector would Wet the valve and cause it to clog. This circular conical skirt directs the Water away from the valve and valve opening and keeps them entirely dry. This skirt also serves as a support or seat for the hopper, when it is removed rom the generator for filling; and this skirt protects the loose feed valve from being accidentally struck and damaged when the hopper is being lifted out olf or replaced in the generator.

it is desirable to provide an auxiliary sup` ply of carbide for use in case the supply in and ivet the valve 5 and cause it to clog.

hopper 4 becomes exhausted belore the owner 'is ready to replenish it, or When it iS not vconvenient to immediately replenish it. For this purpose l place an auxiliary hopper 8 in hopper 4, this hopper 8 being` preterably provided with an inverted conical bot-- tom 8d having an outlet in its apex closed kby a valve 8", pivoted at 8C on the adjacent side of the hopper 4 and having a linger 8d on one end projecting outside ot hopper 4 through a small slot 40 in the side thereof, as shown. The inner tree end of valve 8l may be supported by a bail 8 attached to the hopper 8a. rThe valve 8b is normally closed. The auxiliary hopper 8 can contain about a gallon of carbide, and should be' filled when the hopper 4 is lilled, valve 8b being lirst closed.`

To the inner side Wall oi' the bell 6 adjacent the hopper 8 T attach a rib 6e, and by partly rotating the bell on its axis the rib 6e can be caused to engage the outer end of the inger 8c and open valve 8b as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. T the carbide in hopperl 4 is exhausted there will be a failure of the gas supply to the burners; and if this happens at a time When it is not convenient to relill the hopper 4, (for example at night) the owner can remove cover lt, and reach down and partly turn the bell 6 so as to cause rib Ge to engage and open valve 8b and allow the carbide in the auxiliary hopper to escape into the main hopper. Y

At the time the auxiliary. feed hopper-is opened, the main feed valve 5 at the bottom or' the hopper would usually be Wide open, and if all the carbide in hopper 8` Was suddenly dashed into the Water much of it would be Wasted before the bellcould rise and close the feed; and the splash of the Water might cause the carbide and Water to foam up against the bottom of the hopper 4 vTo prevent this I maire a small outlet in the bottom of the auxiliary hopper and the carbide v therein gradually enters the hopper 4 andl the supply of carbide to the generator is controlled by valve 5 in the manner above described.

The supply from the auxiliary hopper Will enable the apparatus tobe used lor a few hours or long enough to enable the owner to relill the hoppers 4 and 8; The gas is preferably conducted from the bell 6 to the service pipe S by a connection between the upper portion of the bell and the end of the service pipe in the tank. Preferably this connection'is made out of flexible hose 7, one end of which hose is gas-tightly connected to an outlet nipple 6 on the bell, and the other end connected to the end of the service pipe in they tank as at 7b, and preferably the of the gas bell, and the turning thereof to open the auxiliary hopper valve Without putting any strain upon the oonneetion 7 This connection between the upper end of the bell and the Service pipes being above the Water level clogging and Choking of the gas outlet is prevented.

Vhat I claim is:

In a carbide gas generating apparatus, the combination or" a tank; a bell; a feed hopper Within the bell having an outlet; a transverse bar in said hopper; a lever in the hopper pivoted on said bar; a Weight mounted on said lever; a rod in the hopper pivotally connected with said lever and having one end extending above said lever` adapted to Contact with the top of said bell; said bar, lever, and Weight being Wholly Within the hopper; a self-adjusting valve for Closing said outlet loosely connected with the lower end of Said rod, said rod being adapted to be held normally in raised position by the Weighted lever to close the valve, said valve being opened by Contact of the upper end of said rod With the bell When the bell is lowered; a service pipe connected with the tank, and a flexible hose connection between the bell and service pipe, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

PERCY B. SULLIVAN. 

